PUPR Minister: Central Kalimantan Is The Right Choice To Be The New Food Granary

JAKARTA - The Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono directly reviewed a potential land project which is an alluvial area on the Ex-Peatland Development (PLG) land in Central Kalimantan Province. Basuki's arrival was at the same time to see the preparation for the rehabilitation of the irrigation network in the area of potential land for the new food barn.

Meanwhile, this land is part of the food estate development program as an area that is expected to become a new food barn outside Java and become one of the 2020-2024 National Strategic Programs (PSN).

Basuki admitted that his arrival in Central Kalimantan followed up on President Joko Widodo's orders, who had chosen Central Kalimantan as a food estate area or center for food plant development outside Java.

"After there are several alternatives such as in South Sumatra, East Kalimantan and Merauke. In my opinion, Central Kalimantan is the right choice, because there is already a good irrigation network, farmers, and agricultural production support systems," he said, through a written statement received by VOI, in Jakarta, Sunday, June 14

Of the 165,000 hectares of potential land, 85,500 hectares are functional lands that have been used for production every year. Meanwhile, the remaining 79,500 hectares are already in the form of shrubs, so it is necessary to do land clearing alone, without needing to print the fields again and increase irrigation.

Basuki revealed, specifically for improving irrigation, an estimated budget requirement of Rp1.9 trillion for 2021 and 2022.

Meanwhile, of the 85,500 hectares of functional land, around 28,300 hectares have good irrigation conditions. Meanwhile, the remaining 57,200 hectares of land are required to rehabilitate the irrigation network with an estimated budget requirement of Rp1.05 trillion.

This rehabilitation is being carried out in stages starting from 2020-2022 with details of 2020 covering an area of 1,210 hectares worth IDR 73 billion, in 2021 an area of 33,335 hectares worth IDR 484.3 billion, and in 2022 an area of 22,655 worth IDR 497.2 billion.

Then, irrigation rehabilitation activities in the 2020 Fiscal Year include four physical activities, namely rehabilitation covering an area of 1,210 hectares with a budget of IDR 26 billion and two planning activities covering an area of 164,595 hectares with a budget of IDR 47 billion.

Basuki explained, physical activities include raising the embankment, building sluice gates and dredging channels in an irrigation area or DI Rawa Tahai covering an area of Rp9.8 billion, whose contact has started on May 28, 2020.

Meanwhile, DI Tambak Sei Teras, covering an area of 195 hectares, is valued at IDR 4.1 billion with a progress of 29.1 percent. Meanwhile, DI Tambak Bahaur, covering an area of 240 hectares, valued at Rp3.9 billion, with a progress of 27.2 percent, and DI Rawa Belanti covering an area of 560 hectares, valued at Rp8.2 billion.

In carrying out rehabilitation, Minister Basuki advised that it is necessary to pay attention to the hydrological principles of water management, because this area is a tidal area with low acidity (pH). This means that the rehabilitation of the canal does not only work on the physical, but requires water management methods in its operation and maintenance activities, so that the process of land washing can be carried out better.

"The target is that within 2 years all irrigation channels in the alluvial area of 165,000 ha can be rehabilitated and upgraded, so that agricultural production can be optimized," he said.